James Cameron Welcomes Iron Man to Pandora in Classy Tribute to ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Reclaiming the Box Office Crown

The battle for the title of highest-grossing film of all time has been one of Hollywood’s most entertaining rivalries. For years, ‘Avatar’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’ have traded the box office crown, and both films now sit under the same Disney umbrella after the studio acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019.

‘Avatar’ held the worldwide record for about a decade before ‘Endgame’ passed it during its original 2019 run. James Cameron’s sci-fi epic then reclaimed the top spot in 2021 after a theatrical re-release in China, setting the stage for another chapter in the rivalry.

That chapter has now arrived, and Cameron is taking it in stride. The filmmaker shared new crossover artwork on social media congratulating Marvel after ‘Avengers: Endgame’ passed ‘Avatar’ once again to become the highest-grossing film ever, unadjusted for inflation.

The artwork shows Tony Stark in his Iron Man armor surrounded by the Na’vi, including Jake and Neytiri, who place their hands on him in a gesture of welcome. It’s a striking image that blends 2 of the biggest film franchises in history.

https://t.co/zZwgpQbbnc

— James Cameron (@JimCameron) October 16, 2026

Above the message, the art reads, “You are one of the people.” Cameron then added, “Congratulations to Marvel and the #1 ‘Avengers: Endgame: Encore’ for bringing moviegoers to the cinemas!”, signing off as Jim Cameron.

The line has special meaning for ‘Avatar’ fans. WDW News Today noted that it comes from ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’, where Miles Socorro is welcomed into the Na’vi during a ritual led by Ronal and Eytukan.

The record-breaking run was driven by ‘Avengers: Endgame: Encore’, an extended theatrical re-release that hit cinemas on September 25. It opened to an impressive $86 million worldwide, with $26 million from North America and $60 million from international markets.

Reassemble the team & relive the experience as Avengers Endgame: Encore returns to theaters September 25. Tickets now available for IMAX and Infinity Vision screens: https://t.co/pZZ4PiOyQb https://t.co/2wKSVG4FLz

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 25, 2026

That debut was reportedly the second-biggest global opening ever for a re-release, behind only the 2012 3D re-release of ‘Titanic’. It also topped the domestic box office that weekend, beating new releases including Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’.

According to Variety’s figures, ‘Endgame’ now stands at $2.925 billion worldwide, while ‘Avatar’ sits at $2.923 billion after 5 theatrical re-releases. That leaves just around $2 million between the 2 blockbusters.

The timing of the re-release was no accident. The Russo brothers promoted ‘Endgame’ as required viewing before ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which helped drive audiences back to theaters.

The ‘Encore’ release also includes an exclusive extended look at ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, and some IMAX screenings feature an additional sneak peek. ‘Doomsday’ opens on December 18, and expectations for it are sky-high.

Cameron has shown this kind of sportsmanship before. He congratulated ‘Endgame’ when it first passed ‘Avatar’ in 2019 and later predicted that his film would reclaim the crown, a prediction that came true.

SlashFilm noted that a possible future global re-release of ‘Avatar’ could push it past $3 billion, which would put it back in first place. With the gap this narrow, another swap is entirely possible.

Whichever film holds the title, Disney comes out on top. WDW News Today reported that the studio accounts for 7 of the 10 highest-grossing films ever, including ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, ‘Titanic’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’.

The rest of the top tier is crowded too. ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ has passed $2.5 billion and sits right behind the 2 record holders. For now, ‘Endgame’ is back on top, and Cameron’s artwork has turned a competitive milestone into a celebration of moviegoing.

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